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PORTLAND, Ore. - You may need to make some changes in your backyard if a new bill becomes law in Oregon.

It would set new rules on how you tie up your dog and for how long. The idea is to keep dogs from suffering.

Supporters of the bill say there are a lot of problems with tying up your dog. One is that the tether can become tangled so your dog can't reach his water, food or shelter.

Others say dogs tethered too long may become antisocial and have more biting problems.

The bill would put a time limit on how long your dog could be tethered. A proposed amendment to the bill would allow your dog to be tethered no more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period and no more than 15 hours if the tether is on a zip-line.

Multnomah County already has this law in place to help dogs in cases like one in Corbett where animal control officers say the dogs were kept chained constantly.

Mike Oswald, the director of Multnomah County Animal Services, says they have had more than 100 abuse cases involving tethering over the past year. He testified at a bill hearing in Salem Tuesday that the new bill would help animals, and pet owners, statewide.

"You know, they're social animals. They need people to care for them and they need to be in conditions that are considered humane and their welfare is not in jeopardy," he said during an interview.

The bill would also require proper shelter for your dog: A dog house that keeps them out of the cold and the sun – plus, bedding.

The fine would be up to $1,000.

KATU News has heard from people on Facebook saying they are against the bill; however, no one testified against it Tuesday morning in Salem.

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